Current information on the gross and microscopic anatomy of the parietal-pineal complex among lizards is scarce and inaccurate. This project examines the anatomy of pineal systems and their neural connections with the forebrain in a comparative survey including naturally occurring parietal eyed and eyeless forms. Preliminary analysis indicates that some embryos of parietal-eyeless lizards also lack lateral eyes; these animals also appear to have genetically abnormal pineal bodies. Gross anatomical characteristics of the pineal body vary from what has been described in other published reports in the degree of development and amount of physical contact with the parietal eye. Existing errors in the literature derive from inadequate preparation of tissues and sampling techniques which do not reflect the normal histology or morphology of the majority of animals in any given species.